Amygdala-hippocampal atrophy and memory performance in dementia of Alzheimer type.

The aim of the present study was to examine the involvement of brain structures, especially the amygdala-hippocampal complex, in dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT), and to assess the relation of amygdala-hippocampal atrophy with memory dysfunction. 14 patients with DAT and 10 healthy age-matched controls were examined with different neuropsychologic tests including the UCLA-Auditory Verbal Learning Test. MRI was performed with a conventional 1.5-tesla scanner. Atrophy was found in many brain structures of demented subjects in comparison with healthy age-matched controls. The volumes of amygdala-hippocampal complexes and of the temporal lobes of demented subjects were more reduced than the tot…